I finally had my task cut-out for the last week. I just need to get 100% fit and so I decided to give running a break and concentrated on recuperating completely from my calf injury. Now for this I decided to rely on the age old practices of Yoga and Pranayam (recently coming into picture because of the Ramdevji’s controversy). Now these techniques are not at all new to me since my mom’s into Yoga for years. I just introduced to Pranayam for a year now (thanks to Ramdevji and Aastha TV :). So, it was a week full of holistic healing. By the end of the week the pain in the calf had considerably subsided and it was back to normal. It was so normal by Friday that I even decided to participate in my class football match. Initially I was a little skeptical of this decision of mine but then it was always in my wish list to play football for my class which I did and throughly enjoyed. It also made me feel very good.

A day before the marathon I just thought of becoming a little nostalgic and straight headed to Prabodhan Kridabhavan (Goregaon) the ground at which I practiced all these days and which I proudly refer to as my home-ground as it was here I played my cricket. No points for guessing that I even kiss the ground as I enter and leave it.

3rd Week

Time: 57 mins
Distance: 10 km

Anyone would have been surprised and shocked by the progress of the third week considering the performances in the first two weeks. Even I was! Frankly, its not the time or the distance I covered during the week but the fear of an injury to my right calf during the 11km run which troubled me and made me reconsider the training schedule. The problem I was facing was that I was unsure of the severity of the pain and no medical attention or a trainer just made matters worse with constant fears of a serious injury doing rounds in my mind.

On the brighter side there were quite a few motivating thoughts…

• Once I start running even though my legs would pain for the initial period it would be fine after sometime. The important thing here is not keep questioning oneself throughout the run and not keep querying about the condition of your muscles. Now this isn’t easy but not difficult at all. Try and keep your mind busy in something like for example try revising multiplication tables. I bet this wrks and really wrks well. I tried this during the second week and so the amazing performance that you see.
• Already done 11 km…!
• After all its a mind game.. now I do keep repeating this again and again but its just for the simple reason that your muscle power would get you there but not without the right signals being sent out from your mind.
• Finally I knew if I was going to be 100% fit on the day of the half marathon then I would surely make it!!!

Rest Day… compulsive because of the aversion shown by me towards recovering from the jogs and going all out.

Time: 30 mins
Distance: 5.xx km

Time: 17 mins
Distance: 3.xx km

Time: 10 mins
Distance: 2.xx km

[Comming from 60min to a struggling 10min is really disheartening]

Rest Day… again

[Still trying to recover from the 11km run... getting a little tense about the condition of muscles and possibility of an unwelcome injury]

Rest Day

1st Week
Time: 95 mins
Distance: 26km

Ran as much as I could and then walking for sometime and then again running for as long as I could. Started the week with around 10 min jogs which were followed by 5 to 7 min ones. I realized I wasted a lot of time just walking and taking a break from jogging which I felt I need to change.

2nd Week
Time: 190 mins
Distance: 37 km

Considerably doubled my timing but not the distance as I slowed down my pace. Also, I decided to run continuously rather than take breaks in between. I (and even the pros) now feel that I over-worked myslef. Should have rested my body a little more and given it time to adjust. Realized a few cool things though like ‘finally its a mind game’ and ‘pain is just a sensation… (credit: Vipassana)’ which one can easily happen to ignore after sometime. This is what I trained my mind to believe and this week being one of the highlights of the training schedule.

Time: 10 mins
Distance: 1.xx km

Couldn’t run much… i guess the 11km run had a big toll on me. But still just went for a jog. Chandpreet was here after celebrating his new year in Goa and being on a world tour for around 2 months. Interestingly just happened to discuss about the half marathon with him and was pleasantly surprised after hearing of his experiences of the London Marathon 2005. He did underwent the well-known 12 week training schedule and I also happened to learn that I just over-worked my body and I need to rest it enough to give my 100% on the race day.

Rest Day… HaHaHa

[Com'on its 31st after aLL !!!]

Time: 60 mins
Distance: 11.xx km

[Every km increase needs and exponential increase in effort. I know 11 km is no big deal just half way considering 21km but you never know how things change when you achieve the goals you set for yourself. Previously I would tell myself that I just need to cover 11km running the rest I can easily walk. But since already achieved the goals I set for myself now I need to set it higher. How about running the whole 21km. Now this sounds possible, doesn't it? Can't find any reasons or evidence which suggests it doesn't!!!]

Time: 25 mins
Distance: 5.xx km

Time: 25 mins
Distance: 5.xx km

Time: 40 mins (38.xx)
Distance: 8.xx km

Time: 30 mins (29.xx)
Distance: 7.xx km
Khurakh: Attended Amar’s brother’s Wedding Reception (…LoL)

Had organised a trek to Mahuli with school friends.

Pics from the Trek:

Click on the image below to look at the complete album:

All these days I was blind, dumb and stupid. I had no perception of the truth, no idea of the task at hand and no clue of what I stepping (or rather running) into. Today has changed everything for me. Now, I can visualise, sense and foresee. I know how long the distance is and I have rough idea of the time it would take me to reach and believe me I can see myself crossing the finishing line.

Are u surprised of this sudden change in my thought process? Well, anyone would be except for me because this is the way I approach things. I am sure even you wanna know how? Okie, heres the recipe…

Ingredients: Stopwatch and Map.

Procedure: I got up and reached Sea View Hotel (near Pizzeria, Churchgate) the first destination on the map after CST. I jst love this place and believe me I have sat at this very place on Marine Drive for hours (with a cousin of mine, not wid a gal bcoz I dnt have a GF but I do intend to ;-) ). Did sit there for around 5 mins just to get a feel of environment. Now the actual thing starts. I jst started my stopwatch and started walking towards my destination (Mela Restaurant) on the map from where we take a U-Turn return to the start (finishing line). Simple isn’t it.

How it looks after all this:

Marine Drive to Chowpatty end: 47 mins (-14 mins bcoz i went the wrong way)

Chowpatty end to Kemps Corner Flyover: 11 mins

Kemps Corner Flyover to Jaslok Hospital: 3 mins

Jaslok Hospital to Mahalaxmi Temple: 3 mins

Mahalaxmi Temple to Haji Ali: 3 mins

Haji Ali to Nehru Center (Haji Ali sea face): 12 mins

Nehru Center to Mela Restaurant (Under flyover adjacent to Poonam Chambers): 8 mins

Total: 1 hr. 28 mins. (Considering I start from CST and do not take a wrong lane)

I m not going to discuss this with my friends because it plays on my mind. Also, I must add that they have been so sweet, esp. because they find the distance tooOoo much but they have a feeling that I would surely be able to make it. BTW: My Mom feels I would make it!.

The bottom line is that today I know what I have got myself into.

Rest Day… LoL

[attended the Kshana Christmas Party at B. J Home. Everyone rOcKd (I, Kshana, Asama (ya the gal-boy band), DJ, Kids)]

Time: 20 mins (12.xx + 8.xx + 5.xx + 5.xx)
Distance: 7.xx km

[see 7 is done! it wudnt be as challenging as 21. wattasay?]

Time: 20 mins (12.xx + 2.xx + 8.xx)
Distance: 5km
Khurakh: Milk + Sugarcane Juice + Salads

Time: 20 mins (10.xx + 10.xx)
Distance: 5km
Khurakh: Salads

[met Jin he still is as he was... LoL]

Time: 15 mins (7.xx + 3.xx + 1.xx + 3.xx)
Distance: 4km
Skipping: #1000
Khurakh: 1/2 lt. Milk + Salads

Time: 20 mins (12.xx + 7.xx)
Distance: 5km

Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon – 2006 <link>

Navi Mumbai daudega. Lalbaug daudega. Bhailog daudenge. Yeh Basanti bhi daudegi. South Mumbai daudega. Nort Mumbai daudega. Shakuntalaji daudengi. Unki close neighbour Carolene bhi daudegi. Doctor saab daudenge. Merabai bhi daudegi. Sheetal, Geeta aur Kalpana daudegi. Bunty daudega. Essel World daudega. Rickshaw stand daudega. Rickshawala bhi daudega. Bus stop daudega. Cusrow Bagh daudega. Gateway of India daudega. Inspector Shinde daudega. Strand Book Stall daudega. CP daudega. Bacchan Junior daudega. Malbar Hill daudega. Patelbhai daudenge. Yeh ped daudega. Azad Maidan daudega. Jassi, Chandu aur family daudegi. Aap daudenge(?). Main daudoonga(21.097 km). Kyonki ab Mumbai daudegi.

LoL… Inspiration Hutch Delhi Half Marathon – 2006 >

Gurgaon daudega. Moti Bagh daudega. Lalaji daudenge. Yeh bijli bhi daudegi. South Block daudega. North Campus daudega. Pammiji daudengi. Unki close neighbour Loveleen bhi daudengi. Doctor Saab daudenge. Lajjoji bhi daudengi. Sheila, Priya aur Supriya daudegi (the clip shows the old Sheila theatre, well known to Delhiites). Tommy daudega. Asiad Appu bhi daudega (the clip shows an elephant). Rickshaw stand daudega. Rickshawala bhi daudega. Bus stop daudega (the clip shows a deserted bus stop with a lone man waiting). Karol Bagh daudega. India Gate daudega. Inspector Happy daudega. Kitab Ghar daudega. CP daudega. Dabbu Junior daudega. Paharganj daudega. Sharmaji daudenge. Yeh ped daudega. Pragati Maidan daudega. Jasveer, Jolly aur family daudegi. Aap daudenge. Main daudoonga. Kyonki ab Dilli daudegi.

Hey are you running??? Would like to hear from you!!!

[Note: This post will remain on the top throughout the preparation. Brought this post to where it belonged... at the start]